You rigged vote results, embattled Kericho Governor Mutai tells MCAs after impeachment

Kericho Governor Erick Mutai has accused members of the County Assembly (MCAs) for rigging vote results during his impeachment motion.

While rejecting the impeachment, Mutai described the effort to remove him from office as a sham orchestrated by the Assembly Speaker.

Mutai was on Friday for a second time impeached after 33 out of 47 ward representatives supported the motion.

The motion was introduced by Sigowet MCA Kiprotich Rogony, who accused the county chief of gross constitutional violations, illegal tender awards, and misconduct in public office.

In a press briefing attended by 18 MCAs, Mutai said the speaker was to be held responsible for initiating a predetermined outcome using an electronic voting system.

The embattled governor claimed the impeachment process was uptight with irregularities and vote manipulation before the voting even started.

According to Mutai, nine County Assembly staff members were given access to the electronic voting link to influence the outcome.

“We called for manual voting. Initially, the system recorded six votes, but then it suddenly jumped to over 20, and within minutes, it reached 33. This only confirms what the Speaker’s allies were claiming—that they already had the numbers. The process was rigged, and the results were predetermined,” he said.

The governor questioned why Speaker Mutai insisted on electronic voting when all 47 MCAs were physically present in the chamber.

He emphasised his willingness to undergo a fair and transparent process, even if it meant losing his seat.

“What was so difficult about asking MCAs to stand and be counted manually? All I wanted was fairness. If the assembly truly believed I should be impeached, I would resign with my head held high, but only if justice was served,” he stated.

Mutai vowed to fight to retain his seat, dismissing the impeachment as a political maneuver.

He accused the Speaker—locally known as "Boinet" (The Gazelle), of fueling the impeachment process to advance his own gubernatorial ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

“My impeachment is part of a scheme. The plan is that even after the Deputy Governor takes over, he will also be impeached, paving the way for the Speaker to become both Speaker and Governor of Kericho,” he said, adding, "But that is nothing more than a fairy tale. He cannot effectively govern the assembly.”

The embattled governor maintained that his service record speaks for itself, attributing his election victory to “the grace of God and the love of the people” rather than to available resources.